


A tale as old as time

by Miss_Kitten



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-14
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-24 00:58:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7487115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Kitten/pseuds/Miss_Kitten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bard and reader had fallen in love when they were younger, yet the distance between them broke them apart. Years later, reader comes to rebuilt Dale and meets Bard, who is the King. Old feelings resurface.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A tale as old as time

_The boy gave the girl a toothy grin as he grabbed her hand and dragged her to follow him up the stairs. He wanted to see the view from the highest tower in Rohan, even if the girl kept repeating someone would catch them. He didn’t care. He wished to bring the girl there and tell her something very important._

_She is shouting, trying to convince the boy to not go up, but he saw the smile she tried to hide. He knew she wanted to climb there, too._

_And so they did. Quietly, carefully they walked up the stairs, holding hands and exchanging mischievous glances. They seemed to understand each other without telling a word, a mere look at one another and they knew everything._

_It was what told they boy that the strange warmth he was feeling when he was around her was most likely love. He might be young but that he understood._

_Once on the top, the boy leaned on the balustrade and leisurely slid his gaze over the view in front of them. It was breathtaking, something that he had never witnessed, that he had never even dreamt of in Laketown._

_“It’s so beautiful…” the girl panted, her voice filled with awe._

_“Aye,” the boy admitted, “have you never seen it?”_

_“I’m not allowed to come here, Bard,” she confessed timidly, looking over her shoulder to see if someone was coming._

_Bard nodded, focusing his eyes on the girl. Since day one, a week ago, when he had first laid his eyes on her, he was aware that the girl was, what they called, one true love. He did not expect to find his so soon, but he was happy. And he was hoping she reciprocated his feelings._

_“Y/N, may I ask you something?”_

_“Aye,” she said, nodding and flashing a small, shy smile at him. He grinned, reaching for her hand and lacing their fingers together. Her beautiful face twisted with confusion, her brows furrowed._

_“Will you come with me to Laketown? Or will you visit me there? I know it’s very far, but maybe you can convince your parents?”_

_She gasped. His voice was full of hoped, his speaking rushed and fervent and for a brief moment she was certain she can agree upon everything he has asked for. Yet, she knew she could not._

_“Bard,” she started softly, taking a small step closer to the boy, “I wish I could, Valar only know how much I want to come with you. But I can’t. I’m too young to travel on my own and my parents are already furious because I began taking sword lessons. They won’t allow me. There is no point in asking, anyway,” she answered, saddened._

_Bard sighed. He saw it coming, he was aware there would not be a ‘yes’ answer. But he had to try. With other hand, he cupped her cheek and stroked the soft skin there tenderly._

_“I would regret not trying, Y/N, so I asked. I understand that you must stay in Rohan, because only here you can become the greatest warrior Arda knew.”_

_She laughed, a sweet sound that made Bard’s heart skip a beat._

_“You truly believe I will succeed?”_

_“Of course you will,” he assured, grinning widely as she smiled brightly._

_There was a change in the air around them, a sort of shift. It suddenly became thicker, electrified, filled with anticipation and a kind of warmth. Bard locked his eyes with Y/N’s, watching, amazed, as hers fluttered close when her mouth was coming closer and closer to his._

_He forgot how to breath, he forgot about the whole world as their lips met in a chaste, a bit hesitant kiss. None of them knew what to do next, so it ended rather fast, yet left a bubbling happiness inside them. It felt right, as nothing before._

_“Bard, I-“_

_“I know. Me too.”_

_____

Bard smiled to himself as he brought that pleasant memory and thought of it while looking out of the window, overseeing Dale. The city had made so much progress since the Battle and he was proud to watch it as it was gradually restored to be even greater than before.

And he was grateful to be its King.  

However, despite all responsibilities, all appointments and matters that had to be held, he was still missing something. Longing for that fair girl he once fell in love with.

Yes, he had a wife, who he loved dearly and was happy with, yet the image of a girl from Rohan never left his mind. He thought she had most likely forgotten him, a boy from Laketown and focused on her own duties and dreams.

But he could not stop himself from hoping that perhaps, only perhaps, she might be among a party from Rohan, which was supposed to arrive that day and stay for a week long negotiations about trading between those two cities. It was only wishful thinking, yet Bard wasn’t able to let that hope go.

“Da, they’re here,” Sigrid slid into the room, turning his attention. He hummed and nodded.

“I will be there in a minute, darling.”

“Don’t forget your crown, Da,” she reminded him teasingly and exited. Bard let out a short chuckle and came to a desk when he put his crown. He placed it atop his head, giving himself a moment to adjust to its heaviness. Then, he left to greet his guests.

____

Laketown. You never forgot the name of the town your first, and only, love was from.  You had travelled pass it as your small company headed to Dale.

You were there as a guardian, one of the best among Rohan’s rangers despite your gender. You were skilled with sword and fiercer than most man, and you did not care if they were underestimating you. Their bad, not yours.

But this time, you had personally offered to come as soon as you heard where the party was going. You wished to see Bard, to learn if he too was thinking about you as often as you did about him.

In fact, he had never left your thoughts. And you were more than sure that he was the missing piece in your life.

With racing heart and quickened breath you stepped into a hall, where a feast was already awaiting. Your eyes wandered from one face to another, seeking the one you held dear but never finding it.

Not until your gaze landed at the towering figure, who just came into the view. The raven hair, the gentle smile and sharp eyes told you enough. It was him. Your Bard.

He halted as his eyes turned to you. He could not believe it. He had to be dreaming. It was you – the girl he never stopped loving. As if in a trance, he greeted the Marshal, exchanging few words with him, and invited you all to join him in a meal.

On a weak legs, in a haze, you sat in a chair, pointed for you by a servant, and tried your very best to participate in conversations, to not let anyone see how strongly you were affected by Bard’s presence.

Luckily for you, no one but Bard noticed.

And, after the meal was over and you were led to guests’ rooms, a girl came in and ask you to follow her. She walked you to a small terrace and motioned for you to go on it, which you eagerly did, already guessing that Bard would wait there.

“Y/N,” he panted as soon as he saw you, his features filling with joy and relief.

“Bard,” you whimpered and, not thinking twice, threw yourself into his arms, wrapping your around his middle.

“I was hoping to see you, but never expected it would really come true,” he confessed, kissing the top of your hair and you smiled, surprised when you felt your eyes getting wet.

“Yet I’m here.”

“Aye, you’re here,” he said and you tilted your head back to look at him. One of your hands came to cradle his cheek and he nuzzled into your touch, closing his eyes for a second.

He fixed his gaze on your face, studying your features.

“You’re even more beautiful than I remembered.”

“You’re not bad yourself, Bard,” you teased, gaining a breathy cackle from him.

And once again, the air shifted and Bard was quick to press his lips to yours. The kiss didn’t last long, yet was sweet and loving and your mouth spread into delighted grin when it ended. Bard was grinning as well.

“I think I could use a gifted warrior here. Will you consider staying here, with me?”

“I’m not letting this chance to slip between my fingers. And, truth be told, there is nothing to consider,” you said, caressing his face and Bard smiled at you affectionately, before leaning in again and stealing your breath with a passionate kiss.

And it felt right.


End file.
